Ashley Dickerson
GoSycamores.com
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – Indiana State Baseball (5-2, 0-0 MVC) went 1-1 on the day, dropping the first game to Boston College (6-0, 0-0 ACC) 5-3, but recovering in the second game to hoist themselves a 14-5 win over Chicago State (2-5, 0-0 WAC).
Game One vs. Boston College
The Sycamores opened up the day against the Eagles, allowing them to score all five of their runs in the first four innings. Sycamore miscues in the field, along with the Eagles' 11 hits in the first four innings, made it hard for the squad to gain momentum.
The Sycamores tied the game up in the top of the third inning as junior Hunter Owen doubled to score senior Andrew Gutierrez and sophomore Tyler Friis. The only other run for Indian State came in the top of the ninth where freshman Chris Ayers got the nod to step in as a pinch hitter, and doubled to score senior Kaden Moore. Despite the late rally, the Sycamores were not able to come up with any more than one in the last inning.
Owen finished the game 2-for-4 with two RBIs, while Moore and Friis both went 2-for-3. The Sycamores were successful at the pinch hitter spot where both Ayers and sophomore Dane Giesler were 1-for-1. Junior Ryan Keaffaber (1-1) recorded the loss on the mound, while sophomore Ethan Larrison allowed only two hits and struck out four in 3.1 innings of relief.
Game Two vs. Chicago State
Despite dropping the first game of the double header, the Sycamores were able to catch their bearings and get back on track with a 14-5 victory over the Cougars of Chicago State. Indiana State hit the ground running in the bottom of the first, wasting no time to plate two early runs.
The Sycamores scored again in the third inning as junior Jeff Zahn hit the team's first home run of the 2016 season to go up on the Cougars 3-0. Striking again in the fourth inning, Ayers followed his performance from the first game, adding a double and a run scored. Owen would tally his second triple of the season, driving in another run, and Zahn would then single to plate another, putting the Sycamores up 6-0.
The Cougars answered in the top of the fifth and sixth innings, pushing across four runs, but that would not be enough as the Sycamores would again up the ante, tacking on another two in the bottom of the sixth inning. Outscoring the Cougars 6-1 in the last three innings would secure the Sycamores with a 14-5 victory to wrap up the long day.
Several Sycamores helped catapult the team to their fifth win of the season. Zahn finished the game 3-for-5 with one home run and four RBIs, Owen went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and four runs scored, Giesler added two hits with three RBIs, and Moore went 2-for-5 with 2 RBIs.
The Sycamores will continue play at 12:00 p.m. EST on Sunday as they face Dartmouth College (0-2, 0-0 Ivy League). Be sure to keep up with the rest of the weekend in Florida on Facebook and Twitter.
